This invention relates to locking devices in the housing of a circuit breaker motor operating mechanism.
Current locking devices in the housing of a circuit breaker motor operating mechanism often fail to provide a positive or affirmative locking of the cover of the housing to the base of the housing after the cover has been closed. As such, the cover may become unlatched and may open while in service. Alleviating this problem may require inspection and reworking of the parts of the locking device after assembly of the circuit breaker motor operating mechanism is completed, thus adding excessive and unnecessary labor and cost to the motor operating mechanism. It also introduces the uncontrollable process of reworking the locking device into the motor operating mechanism, thus further compromising performance of the locking device.
Thus it is desireable to provide a locking device in the housing of a circuit breaker motor operating mechanism that is self-locking, i.e, wherein the device is activated automatically every time the cover of the housing is closed and no user tasks are necessary to activate the locking mechanism. It is also desireable to provide such a locking device that comprises a minimum number of parts and is simple in its implementation and manufacture.
A housing for a circuit breaker motor operating mechanism is disclosed. The housing comprises a base having a plurality of walls connected to a floor thereby defining an interior volume; a cover hingedly attached to one wall of the plurality of walls; and a locking device including a first member connected to the base and a second member connected to the cover and engaged to the first member, the locking device positively securing the cover to the base thereby enclosing the interior volume.